America’s longest federal shutdown officially ended upon Trump’s signature of the funding bill titled “Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026” on Wednesday, November 12.
The Schumer shutdown, named for Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who Democrats were counting on to secure the extension of enhanced tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, lasted a record-breaking 43 days.
The Impact on Alaskans
Those 43 days of federal paralysis impacted thousands of Alaskan individuals, families, and businesses. Approximately 15,000 federal workers were furloughed or required to work without pay for the duration of the shutdown. 54,000 adults and 40,000 children faced uncertainty due to interrupted SNAP and WIC funding. An estimated 1,000 Alaskan seniors waited for delayed social security checks. Alaskan businesses suffered losses estimated at $185 million as customer spending declined due to lost wages.
“For 43 days, thousands of Alaskans and millions of Americans have faced uncertainty about getting paid, putting food on the table, and supporting their families as the longest and most senseless government shutdown in history dragged on,” Senator Sullivan said. “This shutdown was completely avoidable. It was spearheaded by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and congressional Democrats to hold the American people hostage as a means to—in their own words—gain ‘leverage.’ The American people should have never been used as political pawns.”
Dems Lose Leverage Game
Despite the costs, the Democrats did not win their political leverage game. In fact, eight Democrats broke from the party to get the funding bill passed and end the game. While Schumer and the Democrats who supported the bill now face intense backlash from the party, the end of the shutdown reflects the average American’s sentiment that federal workers should be paid, that public officials should not pocket money while adding to Americans’ financial burdens, and that the sacrifice of government function is not a justifiable means to a party’s political end.
When signing the funding bill passed by the House and Senate, Trump stated: “Today we’re sending a clear message that we will never give in to extortion.”
Wins for Alaska
The funding bill that ended the shutdown included three major wins for Alaskans, specifically for Alaska’s military, veterans, and fishermen.
Senator Lisa Murkowski secured $441 million in military construction funds for Alaska. An additional $133.2 billion was secured for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which can be used to improve mental health services, telehealth services, homeless programs for veterans, suicide prevention programs, addiction treatment services, and rural health initiatives. Alaska has the highest per capita veteran population in the country.
For Alaskan fishermen, the legislation’s USDA funding portion establishes a seafood industry liaison in the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture to advocate for Alaska fishermen. It also prohibits federal funds from being used to procure raw or processed seafood from China for USDA nutrition programs.
Full text of the funding bill that ended the shutdown: